Credit Card lol's

EdFred

EdFred

Taxi to Parking
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White Chocolate
So I was in the middle of BFE...well, not Egypt, but South and East Africa for two weeks, and used my MasterCard a number of times while there. Got my email notices saying a transaction occurred because I have it set up to notify me of all purchases. Get back to the states, make a purchase with the same MasterCard, and only now do they send me a text message (yes, I received text messages while in East Africa) asking if I am trying to make a purchase, and to reply with yes or no.

Africa, not a fraud trigger. But a purchase from a company I've used this same card with for the past 15 years...that trips a fraud trigger. Great work guys!
 
Well, what if someone had your number and was making purchases here in the US while you were still on the African continent and the credit card company didn't check.??
 
Zeldman said:
Well, what if someone had your number and was making purchases here in the US while you were still on the African continent and the credit card company didn't check.??
Click to expand...

I'd still get an email notice and be able to call and say, "not me!"
 
It is good to have a backup system.

I have no problems with the credit card company checking up on purchases. It's their butt on the line, not mine.

The company is probably going, hey, he is actually using his credit card..... break out the champale..!!!!
 
I had that and intermittent charge denial with card lock. After a while I grew tired of it and got a card without those issues and better benefits.
 
Zeldman said:
It is good to have a backup system.

I have no problems with the credit card company checking up on purchases. It's their butt on the line, not mine.

The company is probably going, hey, he is actually using his credit card..... break out the champale..!!!!
Click to expand...

I'm just surprised it triggered on a purchase that I've made with that card, with that same company numerous times, and not on a purchase made at some shop in Africa where I'd never been before.
 
Years ago AmEx blocked one of my avgas purchases at an FBO. It was the second purchase that day - the first one being at another FBO in a city where I started about 400 miles distant. When I talked to AmEx, I points out that it was a travel card and I was a using it for... Traveling. They were gracious, card unblocked, and fuel purchase went through.
 
That's funny. Especially South Africa - the security we have for our credit cards over here is so weak compared to theirs that I've had 100% of my cards get fraudulent entries after each of my visits. It's gotten to the point that I just plan to cancel all my cards when I get back to the U.S.

My dad's cards on the other hand (backed by a local bank there) is way more secure. During each of his transactions, his phone gives a popup with the establishment name and amount and he types in a pin code to confirm it. The transaction is just on hold with the cashier, it doesn't get declined first, then you confirm it, and then they rerun it - it just holds a bit. (Maybe it will decline it if you don't respond within a minute or two). It adds almost no extra time to the checkout procedure.

It seems like such a simply but secure tech, yet I haven't seen anybody here offering it.
 
wsuffa said:
Years ago AmEx blocked one of my avgas purchases at an FBO. It was the second purchase that day - the first one being at another FBO in a city where I started about 400 miles distant. When I talked to AmEx, I points out that it was a travel card and I was a using it for... Traveling. They were gracious, card unblocked, and fuel purchase went through.
Click to expand...

Also years ago, the FBO put all charges through my MasterCard and to the bank, it looked like a fuel purchase, frequently up to several hundred dollars when the rental charges and fuel were combined. No problemo! ... but when I stopped for some gas for the car on the way home, the card was shut down and I had to call them. Again, an easy fix but since I had explained the situation maybe a dozen times previously it was aggravating!

-Skip
 
They obviously have better banking security because they have a Nigerian Prince in charge of credit cards. That's what the email said...
 
IK04 said:
They obviously have better banking security because they have a Nigerian Prince in charge of credit cards. That's what the email said...
Click to expand...

Well that is certainly a big advance over sending snail mail to North America asking for bank account numbers. Ain't technology wonderful. :D
 
Credit card companies arn't screwing around anymore when they see irregularities in your spending... and if your inconvenienced... so be it.. they lose more a year than what any Nigerian Prince could ever promise you for that beat up 1981 Honda CIVC you have had a Craig's list for the past year.. Personally I am glad they are doing it...

But please tell me more about credit cards use and South Africa... wife and I are going there in September.
 
Just got a text that I am buying gas in Flint, MI. Problem is I am sitting at my desk on the other side of the state. Card closed. New one on the way. Now I have to remember which places I have autopay with that card...

Remember to enable your text/email alerts for ANY purchase amount.
 
EdFred said:
Now I have to remember which places I have autopay with that card...
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Which is the worst part about getting a new card. I do have a list of autopays in my safe, but invariably I will miss one or two or three, until I get a reminder that I am late on paying.....
 
I can set travel notices online for my VISA card. I haven't had a problem with rejected transactions in Southeast Asia in several years.
 
Once before departing on a trip, I settled up a training bill I had with the FBO. Two hours later I landed 600 miles away for fuel to find both my debit and credit cards wouldn't work (both issued by same bank). Apparently the large transaction in one state followed by another 600 miles away in two hours triggered a fraud alert. Their system isn't set up for personal air travel. I didn't figure it out until I turned my cell back on an received text and voicemails from the bank.
 
Zeldman said:
Which is the worst part about getting a new card. I do have a list of autopays in my safe, but invariably I will miss one or two or three, until I get a reminder that I am late on paying.....
Click to expand...

I almost got screwed out of my electrical deposit when I moved to San Antonio because I lost my card a few days before I moved. My previously 2-year perfect payment history with my electrical company suddenly became tarnished and they would no longer write me a credit reference. I had to convince a manager to overrule their policy because of one missed payment.
 
Zeldman said:
Which is the worst part about getting a new card. I do have a list of autopays in my safe, but invariably I will miss one or two or three, until I get a reminder that I am late on paying.....
Click to expand...
Could you review past statements? That's how I "clued in" on who I need to contact to update with new card details.
 
deonb said:
That's funny. Especially South Africa - the security we have for our credit cards over here is so weak compared to theirs that I've had 100% of my cards get fraudulent entries after each of my visits. It's gotten to the point that I just plan to cancel all my cards when I get back to the U.S.
Click to expand...
The first time I used a credit card in South Africa, I got a bunch of fraudulent charges. Good think I had brought a spare. After that, I tried to use Rand.

Heading back there in a few weeks, but only for one night, so maybe I can avoid credit card use.
 
My favorite fraud trigger story was with my AmEx card. We had left Oshkosh direct for Fort Collins to go to my daughter's wedding. Our usual procedure is to stay in the Oshkosh HGI Sunday night (the hotel empties out and the rates go back to normal). We got to Broken Bow, NE to get fuel around lunch time and one of the pilots we met there insisted that we take the crew car and try a local hotel restaurant for lunch (it was pretty good, I admit). We then got to Fort Collins-Loveland and got my rental car and headed out to Wilburs Beverage to buy the alcohol for the wedding. I'm standing at the cashier with a cart full of $2000 worth of wine, beer, and liquor when the managers says "American Express would like you to call them."

ME: You wanted me to call.
AMEX: Yes, are you in possession of your card?
ME: Yes, I'm in Fort Collins trying to buy the beverages for my daughter's wedding.
AMEX: And you were in Oshkosh, Wisconsin at 8AM this morning?
ME: Yes, that was me, I was checking out of the Hilton there.
AMEX: And you were in Broken Bow, Nebraska at lunch time?
ME: Yep, that was me.
AMEX: And you're in Fort Collins now?
ME: Yes, that is me.
AMEX: And you are in possession of your card?
ME: Yes (now finally catching on to their line of questioning). You do know that I have my own airplane and that is why I could go direct between all these places.
AMEX: Oh, that explains it. Have a nice day. The card should work now for your purchases.

I guess when you get card present hits in cities in short order that don't have any air service, they begin to wonder.
 
midwestpa24 said:
Once before departing on a trip, I settled up a training bill I had with the FBO. Two hours later I landed 600 miles away for fuel to find both my debit and credit cards wouldn't work (both issued by same bank). Apparently the large transaction in one state followed by another 600 miles away in two hours triggered a fraud alert. Their system isn't set up for personal air travel. I didn't figure it out until I turned my cell back on an received text and voicemails from the bank.
Click to expand...
We used to have problems as an FBO/charter operator because as a business we showed up to the credit card companies as a gas station. The kept denying charges on a $5000 charter because you can’t spend that much at a gas station.
 
Everskyward said:
The first time I used a credit card in South Africa, I got a bunch of fraudulent charges. Good think I had brought a spare. After that, I tried to use Rand.

Heading back there in a few weeks, but only for one night, so maybe I can avoid credit card use.
Click to expand...

No issues last month in SA or TZ The credit card that just got the bad charges on it wasn't used there.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Could you review past statements? That's how I "clued in" on who I need to contact to update with new card details.
Click to expand...

Yes, I keep the bills as they are mailed to me in the filing cabinets, so I could look back. Like I said, I write down the auto payments, but on a sticky note then put it in the zip lock bag with all the rest, so invariably I will miss one.

I do keep records, but I just don't organize as well as my dad used to.....:lol::lol:
 
A lot of cards nowadays will allow continue to allow automatic payments on recurring charges. Particularly if the charge happens on or about the same date for the same amount each month.

I had a recurring charge that I couldn't get the business to stop (tried multiple times) finally decided to just have the CC company issue me a new card with new numbers and the next month the charge still went through... Had to call the CC company and explicitly request they deny further recurring chargers.

My favorite story when it comes to CC protections is the time I took the card to Europe. The previous time I went they had disabled my cards and I had a difficult time getting a hold of them without the means to pay for the call... So the next trip I did the responsible thing and called and told them I'd be traveling internationally, where I'd be traveling and for how long. Show up at my destination and go to buy a $2.00 soda from the airport and the card declines, so I tried another card (different bank) and it went through. Thinking ok at least I've got one card that works, I paid for the $40 taxi ride and then went to lunch where that card then declined. Even though both banks were informed of my travel both banks locked down my cards for suspicious travel activity; the second bank just viewed $50 as an acceptable risk before turning the card off.

I had an AMEX once that they would turn off every other week; had multiple authorized users on the card so whenever I went on the road and the family was still using the authorized user account back home, they'd flag it... Which I always found particularly weird for Amex since Amex actually issues a different card number for each authorized user (and can separate your bill according to which card it was billed on) whereas most banks just issue the same card in a different name (and cant separate the bill)... Something about an authorized user using the card in our home state while another used it in another state tripped Amex's censor while doing the same with one of my Chase Visa's (that had no difference in card numbers) had no problem.

Weridly I've also had cards process large transactions without problem but then decline or ask me to confirm the next $5 charge for "possible fraud."
 
It's not the card that "permits" the recurring charges, it's the merchants credit processor I think. AMEX stops it by allowing me to block *ANY* charges from that particular vendor.
 
flyingron said:
I guess when you get card present hits in cities in short order that don't have any air service, they begin to wonder.
Click to expand...

But, they did have air service. You!

I've had banks screw up and shut down cards when overseas, even though I told them I was going to be using it overseas. Then, a few years ago the bank gave me a hard time for not telling them. I told them that advance notice didn't seem to work, so I wasn't bothering anymore. Haven't had any problems since.

Oh, and I haven't had an Amex card in my name in about 24 years. After a go around with them over fraudulent charges to a card that had never left my wallet I said goodbye to them and haven't looked back.
 
deonb said:
It seems like such a simply but secure tech, yet I haven't seen anybody here offering it.
Click to expand...

If they did, Ed would be ranting about 4 vs. 5 digit pins.
 
weilke said:
If they did, Ed would be ranting about 4 vs. 5 digit pins.
Click to expand...

Oh, you mean like the 5 digit "pin" number you have to enter on a gas pump which is your zip code. Which is the same as the zipcode on the DL in your wallet should you lose it? LOL

I have never entered a pin number with a credit card.
 
Last week, my daughter and I were driving the family to SC from OH. I used a Citi Card to pay for gas for both of us. No problem until a stop outside of Charleston when it was declined on the second fill up. Next Stop I just passed her the hose to continue to fill her car after I filled my tank.

When I later checked my phone, I had a text asking about the stop where the decline happened. I replied yes and all was well doing two fill ups again. Best I can figure, the station where the problem happened must be “suspicious”.

In all the decades since I got my first Credit Card, I had to get one new AMEX because of fraudulent charges and, at last count, at least five new Citi Cards for the same reason.

Cheers
 
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